EduLib - Education, Libraries, Publishing & Technology: Blogging is self-indulgent but I'm doing it anyway.

EduLib - Education, Libraries, Publishing & Technology

This is a very occasional blog on education, libraries, publishing and the technologies that support these activities.

The rules that I try to follow when writing this blog are:
1. Try not to waste the time of the reader (hence the long Subject headings).
2. Be informative.
3. If not informative, be provocative & controversial.

Saturday, January 14, 2006

Blogging is self-indulgent but I'm doing it anyway.

My first item in this blog needs to be an apology for all that I have ever said in the past criticizing blogs. I have spent much of 2005 telling people (you know who you are) that:
- Blogging is not a replacement for journalism.
- Blogging about code is not the same as writing code.
- Blogging about products is not the same as selling products.
- Blogging is self-indulgent.
- No-one has time to read blogs.

And although all of this is still true, I find myself starting a blog. Why ? Well the first reason is that I don't have a job at the moment, so I have the Opportunity. Secondly, I don't have a job at the moment, so I have a Motive. And thirdly, now that I have upgraded to Web 2.0, all software is free, so I have the Means.

But my final reason is that I have started reading more, and listening more, and thinking more (now I have some time), and I imagine that I may be able to add some value by unpicking some old and dishevelled concepts that are lying about in people's cupboards, and by pulling together some strands that are floating about, and maybe the outcome will be a sort of Pullover 2.0 that will be useful to people.

I suppose I have finally 'got' blogging – There is some stuff that I want to say, and if it is any good, people will keep reading it; if it is not, then it will be a case of "Hello ? Is anybody out there ?"

(and thanks to Nicole C. Engard at "What I learned today" and Hetemeel for the picture above)

About Me

Mark Carden is a business development executive, consultant and recruiter, who has 30 years of experience in project management, software engineering and technology sales.

In the publishing, education and libraries sector he has held international Vice President positions at Publishing Technology, Ingram Digital, Innovative Interfaces, and Dynix.

Mark's career started in software development, project management and consulting; he has worked for several 'blue-chip' companies including Accenture, NatWest Life and Barclays Bank.

He has a BA in Philosophy & Psychology from Oxford University, and has also attended executive education programmes at the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University and the Saïd Business School at Oxford University.

Mark's special interests include: Publishing software, library automation systems, e-books, campus & enterprise portals, hand-held computing, business strategy, how time factors affect company & management behaviours, and the transition of owner-managed businesses into professionally-managed companies.